Vending machine



Feb. 18, 1947. P. a. RICHARIDSON VENDING MACHfNE Filed May 12, 1.944

3 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR lgvfifiz'ahrdsa Feb. 18, 1947.

P. B. RI CHARDSON VENDING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 18, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENDING MACHINE Philip B. Richardson, Montclair, N. J., assignor to Richardson Scale Company, Clifton, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 12, 1944, Serial No. 535,291

16 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to vending machines, and the primary object is to provide a coin-controlled machine for vending or issuing tickets or the like which records finger-print identifications of the persons to whom are issued tickets such as may represent insurance policies purchased by such persons.

Heretofore, insurance policies underwriting the purchasers against accident or other risks have been sold to travellers by ticket sellers in railroad and bus terminals, but due to greatly increased passenger traffic and consequent lack of time, such sale of insurance policies has become inconvenient.

The present invention overcomes this difiiculty by providing a machine which may be operated by the insurance purchaser by inserting a coin, and which automatically delivers a ticket representing an insurance policy. By placing one or more of such machines in a railroad or bus terminal or other convenient location, travellers may purchase insurance and receive tickets in evidence thereof quickly and with facility, and without consuming the time of the ticket sellers.

According to the present invention, the delivcry of a ticket representing an insurance policy is controlled by insertion of a coin of proper value, and means is provided for recording the finger print of the insurance purchaser for identification in the event of accident or death and a claim is made under the policy. By providing the tickets with consecutive serial numbers, and with an appropriate marking, as for example, a number, corresponding with the serial number of the machineissuing the tickets, the particular machine which contains the finger print of the purchaser of a particular ticket may be readily ascertained, and by providing the tickets with symbols indicating the location of the machine which issued them, such may be readily located.

In the accompanying drawings, which show the preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a View of the machine from the front, partly in elevation and partly in section.

Figure 2 is a vertical section, taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 in Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 in Fig.2.

Figure 5 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 5 in Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a detail vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken through the coin-receiving and tape exposing aperture and adjacent e1ements for advancing the tape and ticket strip and for actuating the ticket severing means.

Figure 7 is a detail view of the ticket severing means.

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of the coin operated slide for actuating the ticket severing means.

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the finger-print receiving tapes.

Figure 10 illustrates a form of ticket that may be used to represent an insurance policy.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

The machine, as shown in the present instance, comprises a casing I0, preferably of substantially rectangular form, having doors I I and I2 hinged or otherwise movably mounted in its respective sides to provide access thereto by an authorized attendant, these doors being provided with any suitable means for locking them and thereby preventing unauthorized access'to the interior of the machine. The front wall of the casing is provided with an aperture I3 for insertion of a coin, and with an opening I4 through which the tickets issued by the machine may be removed by the purchaser.

Upper and lower spindles I5 and I 6 are suitably mounted within the casing, ,aS by brackets I! and I8 secured to the back wall of the casing, these spindles being adapted to receive respectively a, rewinding spool I9 having a lug 22 to engage in a hole 23 in one end of the tape 2I, and one of a suitable number of spools 20 each containing a tape ZI which is permanently attached thereto as by a screw 21h. The spools I 9 and 29 are accessible for mounting on and removal from the spindles while the door I2 is open. The tape is composed of a material capable of easily receiving and recording linger prints, and is preferably of a nature which permits the finger prints to be erased or removed therefrom and thus enables the tape to be used repeatedly, as for example, a flexible strip of chromiumplated steel or other metal. The spindle I5 may be round so that the spool I9 will be freely rotatabl'e thereon, but the spindle I6 is adapted to have a spline connection with the spools 20, it bein for example, square or of other angular crosssection, and each of the spools 29 has a central hole 24 which is of correspondingly square or angular cross section, so that each spool 28 spindle It is mounted rotatably in itsbracket- H3, and has a ratchet wheel 25 fixed thereto, this vent retrograde or unwinding rotation of the lower or winding spool 29.

The finger-print receiving tape 2! is threaded in the machine to extend from the upper spool [9 to and over an idler roller 25. thence downwardly within the casing past the aperture l3 to and beneath an idler roller 21, thence in front of a pair of idler rollers 28 and 29 mounted re spectively below and above the aperture l3, thus bringing the portion of the tape between the rollers 28 and 29 immediately behind the portion of the tape which extends between the rollers 25 and 21, and the tape passes over the roller 29 to the lower spool 2!! for winding thereon. The tape 2| is provided preferably midway of its width with a slot 30 which extends continuouslylengthwise thereof to points adjacent to its ends.

The portion of the tape which lies immediately behind the aperture E3 is normally covered and concealed to prevent tamperin with the tape, but this portion of the tape is automatically un covered to receive a finger-print when a coin is inserted. Such tape covering means comprises preferablya shutter embodying a pair of members 3i mounted respectively above and below the aperture l3 and slidable in suitable guides 32 fixed to the inner side of the fr nt wall of the casing, the proximate edges of the shutter members being arr nged to abut and thereby close the aperture it, but leaving a coin receivingslot 33 which reg sters with the slot 3! in the-tape 2|, the slot 33 being formed partly in each ofthe shuttermembers.

The shutter members iii are connected for simultaneousmovement in opposite directions to cover or uncover the tape. the upper and lower shutter mem ers bei g provid d for this purpose with racks '34 and 35 respectively w ich mesh with g ars 36 and 31 suitably moun ed on fixed axes 36 and 31 within the casin the gear 35 me hin wi h an actuati g gear 38 fix d on a shaft 38 ,journaled in suitable bearings Misuitably. fixed in the casing. the gear 38 being connected to the ear 31 through an intermediate ear 4! suitably mounted on a fixedaxis 4!?v Within'the'casing. The earing thus provi ed causesthe, shutter members to move simultaneously in opposite directions to uncover the tape 2! and render it accessible through theape ture !3 when the gear 38 is rotated in one direction, and to move in reverse directions to cover or conceal the time when the gear 38 is rotated in the opposite direction. a

The shutter actuating gear 38 is operated by a coin when inserted through the aperture l3 and the slots 33 and 35 in the shutter members and tape respectively For this purpose, an arm 45 is fixed to the shaft 39 to rotate it and the gear 38 fixed thereto, this arm havinga recess 46 in its forward edge which is alined or in the same vertical plane with the slots 30 and Stand isnormally held by .a tension spring 41 in a position: immediately behind said slots. By this arrangement, when a coin is inserted edgewise throu h'the slot 33 in the'shutter members and theslot 3t in-vthe tape 2!. it will engage in the recess 46 in the forward edge of the arm 45, and as the Too-in 'is pressed inwardly, the-arm 55 will be rotated in a direction against the action of its 36 and 3! connected thereto to retract the shutter members and open the shutter, thus exposing the portion of the tape 2i which is immediately behind the aperture :3. The final portion of the operation of pushing the coin through the slots 39 and 33 and against the arm Q5 will bring the thumb or other finger of the purchaser into contact with the tape 2i, thereby producing a finger-print thereon. Release of the coin from the arm 45, as hereinafter described, permits the spring 4'! ,to return said arm to its normal position and return of the shutter member to their normal closed positions.

The coin-operated arm i5 is also preferably utilized to advance the tape 2! to bring a fresh or unexposed portion thereof opposite to the aperture It after receiving each finger print thereon-the arm '35 being pivotally connected for such purpose by a pin @5 to a pawl 56. the free end of which rests on the ratchet wheel 25. By this arrangement, each time the arm is is pushed inwardly by an inserted coin, the end of the pawl 56 will ride from one tooth to the next following tooth of the ratchet wheel 25 while the latter is held from retrograde rotation by the pawl 26, and when the arm 45 swings back to its normal forward position under the action of the spring 47, the pawl 58 will pull theratchet wheel 25 around through one step, thereby causing the lower spool to wind a suitable length of the tape onto this spool and to unwind a corresponding length of tape from the upper spool.

The insertion of a coin as hereinbefore described is also preferably utilized to effect the delivery of a ticket or slip which represents or is evidence of the purchase of an insurance policy.

In the present instance, such tickets, an example of which is shown in Fig. 10, are printed on a continuous strip 55 which is wound into a'roll 56 which may be mounted rotatably on a spindle 56* supported by a bracket 56* suitably mounted in fixed position within the casing, thisroll being accessible by opening the door ii. The ticket strip 55 is led from the roll and then between a pair of feed rollers 51 and 58 rotatably mounted in suitable relatively fixed bearings 59 and 63 within the casing, the shaft to which the roller 58 is fixed having a pulley 5i fixed thereon and cooperating with a belt 62 which passes around and is driven by a pulley 53, the latter being fixed to the spindle it on which the lower spool for the finger-print tape is wound. By this arrangement, each step in the rotation of this lower spool, imparted thereto by the pawl 59, causes a corresponding extent of rotation to the pulley 63 and through the belt 62 and pulley 6i, imparts rotation to the roll 58 to feed from the roll 56 a length of the ticket strip 55 corresponding to the length of a ticket.

The operation of inserting a coin is utilized to effect severance of a length of the'ticket strip 7 corresponding to a ticket for. each coin inserted. Such severing means comprises, in the present instance, a fixed knife 35 and a cooperative movable knife 55, the ticket strip being fed downwardly between these knives by the rollers El and 58. The movable knife 66 is connected to a slide 61 mounted to reciprocate on a guide 68 suitably mounted in a fixed position within the casing, the slide being provided with a rack 69 which meshes with a gear li). Thegear it is fixed on a shaft H journaled in suitablebearings l2 fixed in'the casing, and the shaft ll also has a pinion '53 which is fixed thereon and meshes with a gear 14 fixed on a shaft 15 journaled in approximately in a plane which includes the.

lower edge of the aperture l3, and'is' provided with a slot 82 in which the lower end of the arm 45 swings, and a pin 83 extends across the slot.

82 in a position to be engaged by the leading edge of a coin as it is inserted through the slot in the finger-print tape whereby' the slide 19 will be pushed back as the coin is pushed through the tape. The consequent rearward movement imparted to the slide Q will cause it to act, through the rack 13, gears ll, 14, T3 and 1!] and rack 59, to move the slide 61 and the knife 66 thereon rearwardly, thereby severing the ticket strip 55 which extends between the knives. Return of the slide IE! to its normal position under the action of the spring 8! acts, through the racks and gears just described, to return the slide El and knife 66 to their forward position, there by opening the knives for the reception of another length of the ticket strip.

As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6, as the coin X is pushed through the slot in the tape 25, it first rocks the lower end of the arm 45 rearwardly, and as the insertion of the coin proceeds, it engages the pin 83 on the slide Hi and rolls rearwardly on the lower edge of the coin receiving aperture !3 until the pawl 50 has engaged the next tooth of the ratchet wheel 25 and the slide 19 has been pushed rearwardly sufficiently to complete the ticket-severing movement of the knife 66. Further movement of the coin during its insertion causes it to drop from between the lower edge of the coin receiving aperture and the pin 83, and the coin is deflectedin its fall by an inclined wall 85 which. directs the coin into a suitable coinreceptacle 85 which is accessible to an authorized attendant by opening the door !2. Release of the coin from the arm 45 and slide 19 permits these parts to return to their normal positions under the action of their respective springs.

The ticket severed from the ticket strip drops onto an inclined plate 81 which directs it to the opening M through which it may be removed by the individual who inserted the coin to efiect the delivery of that ticket.

The ticket 38, as shown in Fig. 10, may have V a space 89 to receive the address of the ticket purchaser, a space 9!] to contain instructions to the finder of the injured ticket purchaser or his body and other pertinent data, and the reverse side of the ticket may have the insurance contract printedv thereon. Each ticket bears a serial number which preferably appears twoor three times on each ticket, these serial numbers being consecutive on the tickets on the strip and each ticket preferably also bears a number corresponding, for example, with the serial number of the machine which is to issue it, and may also have letters or other data associated with the serial number to designate the area, zone and location of the machine from which the ticket was issued so that this particular machine may be readily located in the event a claim is made under an insurance policy represented by the ticket, and the spool 20 for such machine and containing a tape 2|" having thereon the finger print o'f'the individual to whom the ticket was issued removed for identification or other purpose, each tape spool 20 to which the respective tape is permanently fastened also bearing the serial number of the machine in which it is used, as indicated at 9| in Fig. 2. For example, the letter A on the ticket may designate the city in which the machine issuing the ticket is located, the numeral "2 may desighate the zone in said city, the letter B may design'a'tethe railroad or bus terminal in which the machine is located, and the following mum-- eral 4 may designate the gate at such terminal at which the machine is located. The characters or numerals 66 may correspond with the serial number of the machine in which the ticket strip is placed and the numerals and letters R3'I2 may represent the serial number of the particular ticket.

A suitable number of shelveslita are provided within the'casing to form compartments 9B which are accessible to the authorized attendant by opening the door i2, these compartments being adapted to receive spools of tape on which fingerprints have been recorded.

After a tape spool 29 having finger prints recorded thereon has been stored in one of the compartments for a sufficient length of time, it may be Placed on the lower spindle it and, while the pawls 2E and 50 are disengaged from the ratchet wheel 25, the exposed tape may be rewound on the spool IS on the upper spindle l5, and during such rewinding, the finger-prints on such tape may be erased or removed by placing a receptacle di containing a suitable cleaning fluid and having a wick 9b, in inverted position in a suitable spring clip 9'50: so that the wick will apply the cleaning fluid to the tape and thus wash or remove the finger prints therefrom. While the machine is in operation, the receptacle s7 is placed in upright position, with its wick out of contact with the tape. By so removing the finger prints from the tape, it is unnecessary to remove the tapes from the machine for such purpose.

When the machine is in condition for operation, the spool l9 having a finger-print recording tape 2i wound thereon is mounted on the upper spindle i5 and a spool 29 to which the other end of the tape is attached is mounted on the lower spindle iii, the portion of the tape extending between the spools being threaded past the idler rollers, as hereinbefore described, so that the tape will lie immediately behind the. aperture 93 and shutters 3!. Also, a roll 56 of a ticket strip is mounted on the spindle 56*, its free end being extended down between the severing knives 65 and 56. Each of the spools 29 carrying the finger print recording tape, like the ticket'tape, bears a number corresponding with the serial number of the machine in which these spools are used, and these spools may also include tion a s l, -i;g n iia or spo ing l loca e ignatn 1 dc c re nd w th those on the tickets of the ticket tape.

Normally, the shutter members 35 will be closed and held in such position by the spring 41 which acts thereon through the coin-operated arm 35 and the racks and gearing connecting it to the shutter members, and the knifefiii will 1 be held in its retracted position by the spring (it which presses the slide 18 forwardly and normally holds it in its forward position and the racks and gearing hereinbeiore described. which connect:saidv slide with the knife slide 6'2 Upon insertion of a proper coin edgewise through the aperture is at the entrance of the 1 thumb or other finger, the lower end of the arm 4-5 is rocked rearwardly against the aotionof its spring 47, thereby causin the gear 38 connected to said arm to rotate in a direction to raise the upper shutter member and lower the lower shutter member, through the racks 3d and 35 and gears S? and ll driven by the gear 33. shutter members are thus retracted or opened, exposing the portion of the tape M which lies immediately behind the aperture l3, so that the final part of the operation of inserting the coin brings the, thumb or finger into contact with such' exposed portion of the tape 2i, and the latter there-by receives and records the finger print of the person inserting the coin. If the coin is not pushed in suificiently to bring the thumb into contact with the tape, the coin will a be held between the pin at, the lower end of the arm 45 and the lower edge of the coin receiving aperture 53, thus holding the shutters open and thereby informing the purchaser that the coin must be pushed in further.

During the latter part of the coin inserting operaticnthe lower edge of the coin rides over the lower edge of the coin receiving aperture l3 and the coin continues to swing back the lower end of the arm 45 and presses against the pin 83 on the slide 79, thereby pushing this slide inwardly against the action of the spring 8! and operating through the racks 69 and i8 and gears ll), 13, 14 and ii to advance the knife 66 toward and against the portion of the ticket strip '55 extending between the knives 55 and 65, thereby severing a ticket from the ticket strip, the severed ticket dropping onto the incline 87 from which it may be removed through the opening I4 by the person who inserted the coin. The tickets are severed from the ticket strip on such lines that each ticket will bear two or three numbers. The final part of the inward movement of the slide 79, which takes place immediately after the thumb or finger has pushed, the coin through the slot in the tape 2 i, is produced by pressure of the lower edge or the coin receiving aperture and into the coin receptacle, assisted by the arm 45 which, is released by the coin. The slide i9 is then released so that it will return to its normal forward positionandLthrough its rack and gear connection with the knife slide El, will retract the knife. 68 and thus admit another ticket section of the, ticket strip between the knives, and the arm 45' operates to bring a fresh section of the tape into position for exposure. 7

Since each ticket bearsa number which cor responds with the serial number of the machine which issued it, and with the serial number on the spool 29 to which the finger print tape is at-i tached, and the finger prints will be recorded on the tape in the order in which the serially num- The bered tickets are issued, each finger print record- 1 ed onthe tape will constitute an identification of the person who deposited thecoin to secure the of. Also, by providing the tickets with indicia denoting-the location of the machines which issued them, the machine which issued any given ticket, and which contains a record of the fingerprint of the purchaser thereof, may be readily found. 7

In the event a finger-print tape is filled with finger prints before a fresh tape is substituted, the blank end of the tape will be presented to the aperture 53, and due to, the absence of the I slot adjacent the end of the tape, a coin can not be inserted, the intended purchaser being thereby informed that the machine is not in working order.

In using the machine for vending tickets representing o r constituting insurance policies underwriting the purchasers thereof against accident or death; it is preferable to provide each machine with three or more rolls 20 'of fingerprint tape for use on consecutive days, the rolls not in use being stored on the shelves 95, and to have the machines attended daily and the progress of the finger-print tape noted. The at tendant each day may first wind up the tape on the spool 2B mounted on the lower spindle l6 and containing the finger-prints received during the previous day or other period, and place on the lower spindle It another spool 20 of the earliest exposed tape from one of the shelves in the machine and containing the finger prints of persons who purchased tickets but against which no claim has been made within a given time such as may be stipulated on the ticket or policy, the tape beingthreaded around the idler rollers 26, 21, 28 and 29 and attached to a spool on the upper spindle 25 by the lug 22, and the receptacle 9! containing a cleaning fluid may be inverted so that its wick 98 bears on the tape. The tape is then wound from the lower spool 20 to the upper spool l9 by the attendant while the pawls 25 and 50 are disengaged from the ratchet wheel 25, and during this operation, the Wick applies cleaning fluid to the tape to remove the finger-prints recorded thereon. The receptacle Bl is then placed in upright position, and the machine is ready for operation; The attendant himself may then purchase the first ticket for that day and stamp the date and time of such purchase on the ticket and file the ticket in the machine for use as evidence if a claim should be made later on a ticket issued by the machine during that day. If it appearsto' the attendant that a tape on the spool 29 which is in use will be used up before 7 the end of a given period, such tape may be wound up on this spool, after the attendant purchases a policy and dates and files it, and deposited on a shelf within themachine, and another Y spool 28] of the tape may be mounted on the spindle l6, and the-tape rewo'und therefrom onto the spool it on the spindle 15, the finger prints on the tape being erased therefrom during such rewinding in the manner he'reinbefore described.

The spool ti on the spindle t6 the tape on which contains the finger-printsfcr a given day, or which has been filled with finger-prints, is removed from said spindle and placed on'one of the shelves in the machine for storage 'until the time has expired in which a claim might'be made under any of the tickets or policies issued to the persons whose'finger-prints are recorded on such tape, and another spool 29 is removed from one of the shelves .and placed on the spindle i5, and rewound on 'thespool 19., and the finger-prints erased therefrom, as previously described,,thus v placing the machine in condition foroperation;

Ina small community .wherejtraflic .is relatively light, and only :a few tickets or'policiesare purchased each day, dailyor other frequent changing of the finger-printztapes would not be necessary. In such cases, the ticketagent at the railroad or bus terminal or alocal resident could act as .agent for the insurance company, and could himself purchase a ticketeachday on behalf of the insurancecompany, and mark on the tickets the dates and hours of purchasethereof, .Sucha procedure would establish the day on whicheach serially numbered ticket issued by such machine was purchased, and the serial numbers on the tickets would showthe number thereof which was purchased eachday.

The insurance company underwritingthe policies represented by the ticket issuedbythemachines maylist each day the ticket numbers in use each day in the various machines. As each ticket will bear a symbol indicating which machine issued it, the insurance company will'be able to ascertain fromany giventicket the. day on which such ticket was purchased, what particularmachine issued it and on which tape in the machine and approximatelythe position on such tape on whichthe identifying finger-print of the purchaser of such ticket is recorded. As each ticketalso contains indicia giving the location of the particular machine which issued the by the machine. I

Although it will be apparent that the invention may be used to especial advantage when applied to machines for vending or issuing tickets representing or constituting insurancepolicies, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto as it may also be employed in connection with coin-controlled machines for vending or issuing tickets for other purposes or having other significance, wherein it is desired to record the identifying finger-prints of the persons inserting the coins and to Whom the tickets are issued.

I claim:

1. In a vending machine, the combination with means having an entrance for edgewise insertion of a coin under pressure of a finger for controlling the operation of the machine, of a tape extending past said entrance sufliciently close thereto to receive thereon a finger-print from and under the pressure of such finger in inserting a coin in said entrance.

2. In a vending machine, the combination with means having an entrance to receive a coin for controlling the operation of the machine, of a tape extending across said entrance and having a slot for the insertion of a coin therethrough, said tape being positioned sufiiciently close to said entrance to receive a finger-print from and under the pressure of 'a finger in inserting the coin.

3. In a vending machine, the combination of means having an entrance for edgewise insertion of a coin for controlling the operation thereof and for reception of a portion of the finger of a person inserting such coin, means sufficiently close to said entrance to be engaged by and to receive a finger-print of the finger of a person inserting 811.011 9.0. th in, .QJL CmQQiIl controlled-bran inserted coin for closing the: finger; receiving portion of said entrance. 7

.4- In a vendinemachine, thecombi ti n f means having acoin entrance r forcontrolling the operation thereof, a medium positioned sufiiciently ,close tosaidentrance to be en aged by and'to receive afinger-print of alperson inserting a coin :therein, .and a shutter normally covering said medium; andhaving meansccntrolled by insertion of a coin in said entrance "for pening the shutter. andexposing said medium.

fordcontrolling the operation of the machine, and

a slotted mediumextending past said entrance I for the insertion ,of..-.a coin therethrough and.

located..sufficientlyclose to saidentrance to receivea coin therefromand' to receivea fingerprintof the-finger inserting such coin in said entrance.

6. Inca :vending machine, the. combination of means having acoinentrance to receiveacoin for controlling theoperation of the machine, a slotted medium extendingpast said .entrancefor the insertion of acoin-itherethrough and located sufficiently close tosaid entrance to receive a coin therefrom and :to receive a finger-print of the finger inserting such coin in said entrancaand a slotted shutter normallycovering said medium and through which such coin is insertible, and having means controlled bytheinsertionoi such coin foropening it.

-"7.In a vending machine, the-combination of means having a. coin entrance for controlling the operation of' the machine, a tape-having a portion exposedat said entrance and positioned to-be engaged by and to receive a finger-print from a finger inserting a -coin in said entrance, and means controlled by the insertion of a coin to advance the tape to -bring--another portion thereof for exposure at said entrance.

8.- In a ticketissu-i-ng machine,-thecombination of means having a coin entrance for controlling the-issuance'of the tickets, atape-adapted to receive finger-prints, --means; for supporting the tape for movement past saidentrance-to-expose successive portions thereof at said entrance, said tape being located sufiiciently close to saidentrance to contact with and to receive a fingerprint from a finger inserting a coin in said entrance, and means controlled by the insertion of a coin for advancing the tape and efiecting issuance of a ticket.

9. In a ticket issuing machine, the combination of ticket issuing mechanism, means having an entrance for edgwise insertion of a coin for controlling the operation of said mechanism, a medium movable past said entrance to expose successive portions at said entrance, said medium being positioned sufficiently close to said entrance to be engaged by and to receive a finger-print from a finger inserting a coin in said entrance, and means controlled by the insertion of a coin in said entrance for advancing said medium.

10. In a ticket issuing machine, the combination of ticket issuing mechanism, means having a coin entrance for controlling the operation of said mechanism, a medium movable past said entrance to expose successive portions at said entrance, said medium being located sufficiently I close to said entrance to be engaged by and to receive a finger-print from a finger inserting a said medium, and means operated by said medium advancing means for effecting the issuance of tickets by said mechanism. 7 r

11. In a ticket'issuing machine having a coin entrance, a'tape extending past said entrance suficiently close thereto to receive a finger-print from a finger inserting a coin in said entrance, means for winding the tape into a roll and thereby advancing it to present successive portions 1 thereof to said entrance, and means including a member actuated by a coin inserted in said entrance for causing operation of said winding means. I

12. In a ticket issuing machine, the combina- 1 tionof means for supporting a ticket strip, means having a coin entrance forcausing severance and delivery of tickets successively from said strip 1 under control of coins inserted successively in said entrance, a tape extending'past said en- T trance sufficiently close thereto to be contacted by and to receive a finger-print from a finger 13. In a vending machine, the combination a pair of spindles, a tape adapted to receive expose successive portions of the tape thereto and to contact'with the tip of a finger inserting a coin in said entrance and receive a finger-print therefrom, and means including a member opera- 1 inserting a coin in said entrance, and means controlled by insertion of a coin in said entrance for i 1 causing advance of the tape to present successive portions to said entrance.

tive by a coin inserted in said entrance for causing successive operationsof the tape winding means.

14. In a vending machine according to claim 13, wherein said tape unwinding and winding winding means comprises ratchet and pawl mech- 1 anism actuated by said member and cooperative with one of said spools. 7

means comprise a pair of spools, vand said means for causing successive operations of the tape file of this patent:

7 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 1 Date 923,532 Jones June 1, 1909 40 1,265,339 Jones I May 7, 1918 7 1,849,295 Hall Mar. 15, 1932 1,855,200 Reichert Apr. 26, 1932 2,020,376 Rich NOV. 12, 1935 2,215,004

15;.In a, vending machine having an aperture for the insertion-.pfzcoins to control operation thereof, the combination of coin-controlled mechanism, a tape guidedtt'o travel past said aperture and having a slotextending longitudinally thereof for the insertion of a coin therethrough to the coin controlledmechanism, said tape being positioned sufdcientlyclose to said aperture to receive a, finger-print of a finger inserting a coin through said aperture and slot in the tape, an end portion of the tape being un-slotted to prevent such insertion of a coin, a shutter normally closing said aperture and having a slotfor the insertion of a coin therethrough and through the slot in the tape, and means operative by a coin inserted through said slots for causing opening of the shutter.

16.- In a ticket issuing machine, the combination of means for delivering consecutively numbered tickets from a strip, means having a coin entrance for controlling said ticket delivering means, means for supporting and advancing past said entrance a tape positionedsufficiently close -to said entrance to receive a finger-print from a inserting the coins and to Whom the respective tickets are issued.

PHILIP B. RICHARDSON.

REFERENCES CITED 'The following references are of record in the Knox Sept. 17, 194i) 

